Trip Description
June 18-21 2024
June 25-28 2024 6 Seats Available
The Grande Ronde River Golden Stonefly Hatch is a remarkable, one-time-a-year occurrence. Beautiful Golden Stoneflies 
become thick in the air and fish cannot get enough of these succulent morsels. Come join the fun during this hatch on our 4 day, fully-guided, and all-inclusive expedition on the beautiful waters of the Grande Ronde wild and scenic section. We’ll take care of every logistic for you, from putting you in the best spots to catch Rainbow Trout to setting up your tent and preparing gourmet meals. When you finish the day, you’ll be greeted with delicious appetizers and drinks. Life doesn’t get much better than that. And we are happy to accommodate most dietary needs upon request. Please note: these dates are flexible within reason (the hatch has a window). *Contact us if you would like to explore other date options for a group of at least 4-6 anglers.
Day 0 – Arrival Day: Arrive in Joseph, Oregon by 6pm (PST) at the Winding Waters’ Boathouse for our pre-trip orientation to have introductions, discuss trip logistics, receive personal dry-bags, and answer remaining questions. Visit our Boathouse Shop for any last minute items for your trip, including sunscreen, river shirts, river hats, and more. You will be able to park your vehicle at our Boathouse during the trip as well as store valuable items that you do not want to take on the river.
Day 1 – Launch/River Day: Winding Waters provides transportation to the river launch in Minam, Oregon (45 minute drive). Depart from our Boathouse at 8:30AM. Meet your guide crew at the launch and leave the boat ramp by 10:30am. The first half of the day will be on the Wallowa River. Lunch will be riverside near the confluence of the Wallowa and Grande Ronde Rivers. Arrive in camp after a good day of fishing. Expect an evening beginning with appetizers and a delicious meal. Feel free to bring a musical instrument.
Days 2-3 – River Days: Each day, the morning routine: hot drinks and fruit juice served by daybreak and breakfast served soon after. Depart with your guide for a full day of fishing. Lunch will be served riverside. Expect another wonderful evening beginning with a delicious meal followed up with good conversation and campfire.
Day 4 – River/Take Out Day: Morning routine. Fish until 2pm when we reach our take out in Troy, Oregon. The Winding Waters van will meet us for the drive back to our Boathouse in Joseph. Return by 5pm with plenty of time to shower and dine at a local restaurant.
Included in your Trip Cost:
- Round-trip transportation to and from the river
- Outstanding, fully catered guide service, along with all necessary equipment
- All meals from departure to return
- Guides will have some flies for you but plan on bringing flies of your own
Put-In/Launch (Minam, OR):
Take-Out (Wildcat Bridge near Troy, OR):
Q: Can we charter a private trip? How many people do we need?
A: We are glad to offer private charter trips to groups of 6 or more. A charter trip means that your group consists of all of the trip’s participants. We do not sell that trip departure to any outside guests. 8 is the total number of anglers we can take.
Q: What time and where do I meet for my trip? Where is the nearest airport?
A. We meet the night before your launch for our Pre-Trip Meeting at our Winding Waters Boathouse in Joseph, OR @ 6PM (PST).
▪ Pre-trip orientation talk will take place at our Boathouse in Joseph at 6PM the night before your launch date.
▪ Nearest Airports: Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport, Lewiston, ID, Boise Airport, ID, and Walla Walla Regional Airport, WA
▪ Shuttle Service: Rent a car from one of these airports or contact us for potential pick-up. We provide round-trip transportation to and from the river for most of our trips once you arrive in Joseph.
Q: What services do you provide?
A: On our fully-guided trips, we provide all fish guiding, food and cooking service, as well as all camping gear.
Q: What amenities are provided in camp?
A: Full river kitchen, camp chairs and tables, tents, and sleeping pads
Q: Does camp move every day?
A: Yes, we move camp downriver each day.
Q: What’s the youngest age you can take on this trip?
A: We can take children ages 7 and up. We have child-sized US Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices (PFD’s).
Q: What about bathrooms while we’re on the river?
A: We have you covered. We follow “Leave No Trace” minimum impact camping and traveling etiquette on all river trips. The bathroom facility we use is called the River Bank Toilet System. When in camp, we set up the toilet in a separate, private area, complete with toilet paper and hand sanitizer. The guides will explain all of the details of how to use it.
Q: What advice do you have regarding batteries for camera equipment and keeping camera equipment dry?
A: A: If you want to bring your portable video camera and/or digital camera, but are concerned about batteries running out, you have 2 options. One, bring extra batteries (at least 2 more than you think you’ll need). Two, bring a portable solar-powered battery recharger. They do exist and we’re pleased to report- they do work! As for keeping your electronic equipment dry, we provide small dry bags that stay with you on the boat during the day. We also sell small hard-shell, water-tight, and padded Pelican cases in our Boathouse Shop.
Q: Can you advise us on tipping/gratuities?
A: We treat our tipping discussion with great care. Our guide crew will work very hard to make your vacation the best it can be. If you wish to tip, we recommend treating it like a restaurant. Anywhere from 10-20% of your trip cost for the crew is standard. You can either give your lead guide cash at the end of the trip or put it on your credit card. The gratuities will then be distributed among the guide crew. Give us a call if you wish to discuss further.
Q: What kind of weather and water temperatures are typical on this trip?
A: Visit our Weather & Water Page for information on air temperature and water flows for different times in the year. Water temps generally range from mid 60’s to mid 70’s.